The resolution of wickedness

Proverbs 11:7
When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.

The Bible speaks on the consequences of man being wicked quite a bit - one could argue that, given original sin, that is one of the very things His word is about - what the future holds for someone who is wicked.

By Proverbs 28, the wickedness creates a state of paranoia
By Psalms 27, the wicked will be cut off, and will not be - one assumes this means they will come to nothing/die
By Proverbs 10, we see that being wicked isn't profitable.

And by Proverbs 11 (above) we see that the expectations of the wicked will also come to nothing.

There are two completely different approaches to criticism - positive and negative, and the Bible has a great deal of both, but when it comes to wickedness, the Bible is just about exclusively negative - over and over we are told what happens when someone is wicked. It would be easy to conclude that if those events were to befall a person, it logically follows they are wicked ... and I think that is the crux.

For it is because each of us is wicked that it is so common to see the fruit of wicked arise so often.

How many people have you met who
... speak dreams and wonders, but have no such fruit?
... plan on accomplishing task, and often fail to complete even the simplest accomplishment?
... are addicted to self-destructive habits, honoring the need for satisfaction, instead of the need to honor God?
... are not faithful in the execution of every promise, especially the ones they promise to themselves?

In truth, every person I have met has born at least a small portion of this fruit, if not every one.

So, one might argue, each of us is wicked, desparately wicked.

This is where God comes in!

For through God's purposes, we can see that which we hope for come to pass, those who we love saved, and the possibility that what we invest our time and resouce in to bear fruit, and to be perpetuated!

And THAT is why so many call upon the name of the Lord!

However, I challenge something greater. It is quite easy to assume, becuase God has observed the framework, and knows the consequences of our current state, that the rational and reasonable thing to do is to be nicer to God because it bears better fruit. And I grant, this isn't a bad thing to do.

But if I may, I would suggest a different motive.

The same heart that offers us an explanation as to why so many people suffer also loved us enough to give us a way out.

Doesn't that heart deserve appreciation above what it can do for us?

Doesn't that heart deserve as much of a recipricatory response as we can engender?

For He didn't give us a way out because we need it.

He gave us a way out because He loves us.

Let us honor that love by choosing to not be wicked, as much as we can (and through His grace realizing that claim), not because it has much more amazing fruit, but to honor Him because he gives us the choice.